KINGSTON, Jamaica – Jerome Waite has been appointed head coach of the football programme at his alma mater, Wolmer’s Boys’ School in Kingston.

The veteran coach, who has won four Premier league titles with Arnett Gardens, in a statement noted that it has been his dream to coach at his alma mater, adding that he is looking forward to being part of a sustainable programme that can bring success and forge great student athletes for the future.

Dwight Pennycooke, principal of the Wolmer’s Boys’ School, welcomed Waite as head coach.

“Waite has distinguished himself as a sportsman and coach of no mean repute having won back- to-back titles in the National Premier League and in business house and school boy football competitions. He has extensive experience in coaching football but has also been an athlete, track and field coach and a sports administrator,” Pennycooke said in a Wolmer’s bulletin.

Considered one of the most successful coaches in the history of local football, Waite guided Charlie Smith High to Manning Cup and Olivier Shield titles in 1988 and 1990, and the fabled trifecta in 1995 when they won the Manning Cup, Walker Cup and Olivier Shield titles.

He also guided Charlie Smith to the Manning Cup final in 2011 and 2013 where they lost to St George’s College and Jamaica College.

According to Pennycooke, Waite will work closely with a management team to coordinate the school’s football programme, ensuring that all the fundamentals of this highly competitive sport are built into all the athletes and teams under his guidance.

“It is anticipated that the same passion for school and country which drives him will be imparted to each young man and redound to a highly successful football programme over the next few years,” Pennycooke said.

Waite was a championship coach with Arnett Gardens where he won back to back titles in the 2000-2001 and 2001-2002 seasons in the National Premier League, and then two Red Stripe Premier League titles in the years 2014-15 and 2016-17 seasons. He briefly held positions in the national set-up, serving at the men’s Under-20 and Under-23 levels and as the national under 23 assistant coach for the Olympic team between 2014 and 2016.

He was the national under 20 head coach in 2018. He was also a national senior team assistant coach from 2016 to 2021, and served as head coach of St Jago High school during the 2021-22 season.